All My Love, Evie
by wakahisass
Summary: She ended every letter with a heart; she was still debating if distance really made the heart grow fonder. — Harry/Evie, Ben/Mal
1. you are worth every effort

**summary:** She ended every letter with a heart; she was still debating if distance really made the heart grow fonder.

 **pairings:** Harry Hook x Evie, Ben x Mal; deciding between: Carlos x Jane, Carlos x Jay, Carlos x Chad

 **notes:** I'll hopefully be updating this once a week. It will be a lot of fluff, and again, the Carlos pairing isn't decided yet, so so far I don't know which of the three will become endgame — I'll let it happen organically.

* * *

Evie was pacing back and forth. Her bedroom was lined with suitcases, and they were pretty things, decorated with glitter and bright red apples that she made as a child, and she _hated them_.

Or, well, hated what they stood for.

Her mother must have done something right, because her current dream was coming true. In a few hours, Evie would be on her way to Auradon.

Her mother wanted her to find a prince — a prince with a castle, a castle with a mother-in-law wing and utterly covered in mirrors.

And once upon a time, Evie wanted that as well.

Now, she could only think about her pirate prince that she would have to leave behind.

There would be no discussion, no argument with her mother. If Evie refused, she was sure her mother would kill her on the spot.

The Evil Queen might have been the nicest of the VK parents, but that was only as long as Evie remained the beauty under her thumb.

There was no noise downstairs; her mother was at Maleficent's with the rest of the VKs and their parents, going over some scheme Maleficent came up with upon hearing the news. Her mother refused to let her join until her packing was done, considering her preparedness much more important than the plan — because as much as she wanted to leave the Isle, she was almost resigned to it for the time being, and would rather Evie snag a prince first so when she did come over to Auradon, she could immediately move into a beautiful castle and not have to fight for one with other villains trying to claim one.

Packing all her belongings took much less time than it would've if she folded everything perfectly and color-coded her suitcases like she would have, and usually she'd be all for going to Maleficent's to listen in to the plan instead of being the last to know, but she had more important matters to attend to.

She had to visit Harry.

* * *

With only their closest friends being privy to their relationship, Evie had to take extra care in sneaking on the _The Lost Revenge_ while in broad daylight. She was used to taking certain paths that were now crawling with pirates who were, thankfully, loud in announcing their presence.

In her efforts to avoid them, Evie found no less than five new passages within the ship, as well as that she could, in fact, climb up rigging while in heels.

It took longer than expected, but she sighed in relief upon standing in front of Harry's door. She turned the handle, eager to avoid detection from the crew, but the handle wouldn't budge. She scowled.

She tried again, and the noise of the handle struggling earned her a low groan from the other side of the door, as well as the sound of something falling in the general direction of the door.

She rolled her eyes and knocked in the code she created for Harry, Uma, and Gil. Immediately, she heard feet hit the ground running, and she couldn't help her wide smile when Harry flung open the door.

He was all half-lidded eyes, sleep-mussed hair, and smudged eyeliner, and she wouldn't have him any other way. He locked an arm around her waist, pulling her in his room and closing the door in the same movement.

He buried his head in the crook of his neck, sighing in content.

Her fingers curled into the holes of his shirt, muscles relaxing, and feeling utterly at peace.

"Morning, love."

"It's the afternoon, Harry," She felt him smile against her skin.

"Details." He muttered, curling a lock of her hair around his finger.

"I missed you." She said into his chest, and he lifted his head up, trying to get a better look at her.

"Ye look stressed." She immediately tensed up. She enjoyed the comfort of his embrace for a few more minutes, knowing he was using up all his patience waiting for her to answer. Once she found her bravery, she raised her head and rested her chin on his chest.

"The VKs and I are being transferred to Auradon Prep."

Everything from the fingers in her hair to his breath on her forehead froze in time. His jaw slacked, but his eyes betrayed nothing.

Evie bit her lip. "Some proclamation by King Ben, he wants to start bringing Isle kids over and we were chosen and my mother-"

"She always wanted ye te find yer prince, didn't she?" His mouth was a tight line.

"She did." Evie stood on his tip toes so she could give him a gentle kiss. "Not that she'll ever get her wish. I don't plan on giving you up, Harry Hook."

He relaxed his jaw, no longer clenching it, and sighed. There was no relief in it, just resignation. "When will ye be back?"

"That's what I'm not sure of. Everyone else is at Maleficent's going over some plan that probably involves taking the barrier down. So, when we can unleash hell upon Auradon, we will, and I will be back for you and your crew."

Harry smiled at that. "And if not?"

"Well, if we fail and I'm miraculously still alive, I _will_ find a way to see you. Or bring you here myself."

"That's ah pretty tall order, princess."

She curled her fists into his shirt, pulling him as close as she could so he could _know_ the conviction of her words. "You are worth every effort."

* * *

"Evie!" Her mother's high-pitch call pierced her ears, and just in time as she finished climbing through her window. Not a minute later did her mother throw open her door, a pleased smile on her face as she saw Evie's suitcases filled. "The time has come my child!"

"How'd the meeting go?" Evie headed for the nearest suitcase. The sooner they could enact their plan, the sooner she could be back on the Isle.

"Fabulously. You should break the barrier in no time. That nonsense aside," She stepped into Evie's closet, making sure she packed all her prettiest dresses, "make sure you find yourself a prince. I don't care where he is in line, as long as he's in one. Accidents happen, after all." She nodded approvingly, glad to see nothing of worth untouched.

"Of course." Evie tipped her head slightly, biting her cheek to keep herself from scowling. "Would you prefer somewhere coastal or inland?"

Her mother paused and looked straight at her. Inwardly, Evie panicked, hoping she didn't just blow her cover.

The worry ceased when her mother broke out into what equated to a smile as she crossed Evie's room to take her face in her hands. "Oh, you truly are the apple of my eye. So considerate." She ran a finger over one of Evie's eyebrows, making sure each hair was in place. "And maybe something coastal this time. A better view than that Snow bitch's place — on that note, it's unladylike to swear. You'll never get a prince behaving like that."

Her mother stalked down the stairs, leaving Evie to carry her own luggage. But she couldn't help but smile at her mother's retreating back; _her_ prince loved her the way she was, foul language and all.

He was a pirate after all.

* * *

The limo that would take them to Auradon was surrounded by people, mostly the truly poor who couldn't dream of such a luxury no matter how hard they tried.

It was a bittersweet feeling, watching her luggage take up most of the trunk space with her mother's magic mirror — now handheld, apparently — in her hand, knowing she was going to the place she'd dreamed of since she was a child.

But, the mixed feelings were felt by all, especially Carlos.

Jay, upon seeing the extravagance of the limo, was excited to see what other items he could find, knowing that he would finally be able to keep some for himself.

Mal was a bundle of nerves, though she would never admit it, as she felt the weight of her mother's expectations on her shoulders. She had such a desire to prove herself, and yet she wanted to be more than just her mother's shadow.

Evie felt for Carlos. While the terrors of the outside world — especially the "Hounds of Hell" as Cruella would put it — made him anxious, he for one would be leaving the Isle with the least expectations. Cruella figured he would do terrible on his own, and so believed he'd be crawling back home in no time. It didn't stop her from physically trying to grab him as he ran into the limo, yelling about how the longer he stays away, the more bear traps she will put in his room.

If Carlos had his way, Evie was certain he'd never return to Hell Hall or his mother.

"Bring home a prince!" She heard her mother call as she stepped closer to the limo. She nodded to her mother, but before she slid onto the leather seat, she looked at the crowd one last time.

Almost out of view, she saw a glint of light off metal — a metal hook.

With her back to her mother, she smiled to her hidden love, trying to memorize what she could see of his face before Mal nudged her into the limo.

"You'll see loverboy soon enough," Evie could tell Mal was rolling her eyes, with only some real bite behind her words.

If Mal had her way, they'd be back within the next few days, she'd be ruling alongside her mother — well, if she took her mother's words with a grain of salt — and all would be as it should be: perfectly bad.


	2. we can handle this

**summary:** She ended every letter with a heart; she was still debating if distance really made the heart grow fonder.

 **pairings:** Harry Hook x Evie, Ben x Mal; deciding between: Carlos x Jane, Carlos x Jay, Carlos x Chad

 **notes:** I don't mean any ill-will towards any of the Auradon Kids, and of course the perception of them will change as the story goes on.

Also, I wasn't going to write so much on their arrival, but it ended up going in a different direction than I was expecting, so I hope it's not boring or too repetitive to read!

Lastly! Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! Once I have stable internet again I will begin replying, so please don't think I'm ignoring you.

* * *

Even though she had no desire to be there, Evie bristled when Jay and Carlos came tumbling out of the limo, and with their vacancy Evie could see a slew of Auradon students watching them, greeting them with streamers and their very own welcome party.

She exited quickly, trying to look as prim and proper as possible, smoothing out her skirt and giving a radiant smile.

It took a little too long for the boys to realize they had an audience to their fight, and Mal nearly kicked them in the side.

The marching band opened up, and the three that approached them truly did look like they came straight from the fairy tales. The woman even half-sang as she spoke, hoping to break up the wrestling teenagers. It did halt them, mostly from the shock of suddenly being face-to-face with the "prissy people" as Jay had described earlier.

Jay reluctantly threw the stolen goods back in the limo — of course, only his fellow VKs noticed him slip a few of the smaller items into his clothing in the same motion; he'd taken most of the candy already out of habit of never knowing when he'd see food again, and just hadn't yet taken a few of the other items until it was too late — and tried to look as innocent as he could manage.

Which, of course, lasted only seconds as he began to try and flirt with the teen girl of the trio.

Unlike the girls on the Isle, this one looked more disturbed than flattered, immediately looking down on Jay while giving him the fakest smile Evie had ever seen.

"Welcome to Auradon Prep! I'm Fairy Godmother, Headmistress." The woman spoke.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mal perk up. Having had no chance to divulge the plan in the limo — lest the limo driver hear — Evie could only assume the good fairy would play some part in the plan, otherwise Mal wouldn't have cared.

While Mal conversed with the woman, Evie couldn't help but tune out, taking in her surroundings.

The sun was definitely brighter here, without both the barrier and the thick layer of smog that coated the Isle's sky, and her leather felt hot on her skin.

She took note of everyone's attire: it was mostly softer fabrics, more suited for the sunnier skies, but also in bright colors that Evie didn't hate, but she could only look at them for so long.

She didn't realize the world could be so vibrant.

She tuned back in when Fairy Godmother waved her hands about. Evie bit down on her lip, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous she looked while doing so.

The two teens then introduced themselves, one of them being Ben, Prince of Auradon, and the other-

"Princess Audrey, his girlfriend!" She then grabbed his arm like a reflex and turned to him, eyes wide. "Right, Benny-boo?"

Carlos actually snorted, and the rest of them tried to keep their cool.

Evie wished Harry was there, if only for that moment to witness with her the awkwardness that followed Audrey's declaration.

Ben good naturedly clasped his hand over Audrey's and gave her a smile, but not nearly as genuine as it should have been. His actions were more rigid than anything, and for a brief moment Evie wondered if they were together because they were both royalty, or if they truly did have feelings for another.

She saw herself in another life where she followed her mother's wishes and went for a prince, giving him affectionate nicknames in public that made him embarrassed but he was too nice to say anything, and she looked as exhausting to be around as Audrey did in that moment.

It became an item on an ever-growing list of reasons why she was glad to be an Isle girl.

* * *

She normally wasn't supposed to get a break, but Uma took one anyway, tossing her apron to the side upon seeing Gil walk into the shop without his usual carefree grin. And she knew exactly what was up.

Gil stayed by the sword check, not even bothering to add his as he waited for his captain.

"Just so we're on the same page," Uma began, retrieving her own sword out of habit, "what kind of reaction are we talking about? Grumpy silence? Anger he's taking out on some unfortunate soul? …Tears?"

Gil couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think even he would know how to handle his own tears. I'd say it's more of a grumpy silence. Throwin' rocks at everything, though."

"Good. We can handle this."

* * *

Being with the royal couple became much more exhausting than Evie imagined. As it turned out, Audrey was Sleeping Beauty's daughter, and she and Mal were at each other's throats before Evie could even blink.

It was entertaining to watch.

Ben was being a complete sport, ignoring the arguing and instead trying to make them feel comfortable. It was easy to see he was being genuine, especially against Audrey who was being everything but.

He was also matching Mal's banter with ease, and even Mal was surprised, as she'd meant for them to only be snide comments to go over the prince's head.

Audrey became even more attached to Ben's side, more akin to a leech than a girlfriend, making sure to bring Ben's arm around her shoulder while staring Mal right in the eyes while talking about their glorious royal bloodlines.

"I may not like the guy," Jay stood next to her, voice low as he nicked an item off a table, "but have I ever told you how glad I am you two aren't like… _this_?"

"You could stand to mention it more." She gently elbowed him. "Else we'll start doing it only around you."

"This is Doug. He's gonna help you with your class schedules and show you the rest of your dorms." Ben introduced one of the marching band members as he came down the stairs. Soon after, Audrey nearly dragged Ben away from them, leaving the bespectacled boy alone.

"Hi guys, I'm Dopey's son, as in-" He began listing off most of the dwarves, but Evie stopped paying attention. While he was no son of Snow White, he was still related to someone that helped end her mother, and it put Evie on alert.

He froze when he finally looked at her. "Heigh ho…"

Knowing Harry would understand — hell, as soon as she'd tell him, they'd be laughing about it together — she did what she had been taught to do.

She put her hands on her waist, curled her lips up, and slowly made her way to him, giving him ample time to gawk.

"Evie, Evil Queen's daughter."

As soon as he heard that, he diverted his attention as quickly as possible, diving right into what their classes would be.

Evie wanted to laugh.

As he rambled on, she innocently twirled a ringlet between her fingers, pretending to be wholly interested in what he was saying.

"-History of Woodsmen and Pirates-" She paused for just a few seconds, looking forward to the class to see just what they taught about pirates here as opposed to what she knew about them, before bringing back her interested façade.

With Doug distracted, Mal snuck up behind him just for the silent laughter of listening to his voice crack upon noticing her behind him.

If everyone else was as jumpy as him, it was surely going to be great fun for the VKs.

* * *

Goblin Wharf was one of the closest points to Auradon, and Harry sat on the pier. Sure, he was surrounded by the smell of the sea, but his comfort was diluted by the land mass across from him.

As a pirate, he was used to a certain degree of uncertainty, of chaos, but his mates were the one stability. Uma, Gil, the _Lost Revenge_ and her crew, and Evie.

He couldn't help but feel like he lost part of her.

He picked up another rock and threw it at the goblin that was walking too close for comfort, and the thing only growled at him before recoiling.

The VKs were barely gone a few hours but the pirate crew were already taking up the old territories, enjoying the benefits that followed the control and fear.

"Rocks? I expected your sword, Hook."

Harry didn't turn around, just continued to weigh the rock in his hand, giving him something to distract himself.

Uma watched him with steady eyes. He was waging war against himself, and he'd be the only casualty.

Sometimes, Uma would let him work his problems out for himself, but this was too severe, too pressing to let it fester. It would rot him from the inside out, and she needed to end it.

"Evie." The name made him freeze, but he didn't immediately lash out, so Uma continued, sitting down beside her first mate. "You know, when you first told me you were trying to recruit the daughter of the Evil Queen, I thought nothing of it. That young, we only had our parent's rep, so I thought you were recruiting her based on that. But when you were still chatty when she was a VK, I didn't like it."

Uma tapped the hilt of her sword. "For the longest time, I just really wanted to make her cry."

Gil bit his knuckles in an attempt to prevent any sound from escaping his throat when Harry whipped his head around.

"…Are ye sure ye want to be sayin' this to me right now, Captain?"

"Yes. I'm trying to make a point. Shut up and listen." Harry narrowed his eyes and looked away. "I didn't like her. After all, she threw her lot in with Mal, and you were still chummy with her. It was that simple. I nearly sent you to the plank once you told me you two were dating. But that was before I met her, before I saw just how well you two got on, and now I'd gladly trust that VK with my life."

Harry turned back to her, jaw taut but his eyes scanned his Captain's, trying to take her words in. Words he _never_ thought he'd hear her speak.

Uma bared her teeth in a grin. "Hear that, Harry? I'd trust Mal's best friend with my life. She's always welcome here because she's _earned it_. Someone of that caliber wouldn't abandon her mates."

Gil gave his own smile, patting Harry gently on the back. "It's temporary. Even at worse, where they can't get us all out, they'll just return. Evie will return."

"And really, I'm kind of hoping for that. That means Mal would've lost and, really, it'll be _hilarious_ to witness. But if they do win, you'll get both your blue-hued loves, her and the sea."

Harry sat still, fingers tracing the rock still clutched in his hand. His muscles were more relaxed, and if one looked close enough, there were the beginnings of a soft smile on his lips.

"…That was actually helpful."

Uma ruffled his already messy hair. "Good. Now you get to take my night shift."

She and Gil ran off, hoping to avoid being the target of that rock, heads thrown back in laughter.

Harry shook his head, trying to ignore how one of his best friends just swindled him, as he cast one last look to Auradon, renewed by the thought that life might be different the next time he was able to have her in his arms.


	3. she needed an outlet

**summary:** She ended every letter with a heart; she was still debating if distance really made the heart grow fonder.

 **pairings:** Harry Hook x Evie, Ben x Mal; deciding between: Carlos x Jane, Carlos x Jay, Carlos x Chad

 **notes:** I'm still quite wifi-less so it's hard for me to reply at the moment, but I'm so grateful for all the love I've seen, thank you all so much 3

There will be more Harry and the Isle next chapter, there was just a few things I wanted to set up first.

* * *

Mal had never been struck by someone before. She'd rather an actual slap in the face than the weird feeling that presented itself whenever Ben was around.

Maybe it was because he was the first genuine person she'd ever met and she didn't know what to make of it.

And she hated it.

He smiled because he was _actually_ happy, and his offers of aid were never presented so he could gain something from her. As a child, she had scoffed at the fairy tales and their descriptions of perfect princes, not thinking anyone could actually be so kind.

Meeting just one person like that was exhausting enough, especially since he seemed to linger around her and her fellow VKs. She made a game out of finding the flaws in the other hero children to make herself more comfortable around the smiling faces.

Audrey was easy; she was too busy projecting her own insecurities as a false ego to actually care about Ben, or really, anyone but herself.

Lonnie was still trying to find herself. She felt like an outsider, wearing pretty dresses while idolizing her mother and wanting to emulate her.

Chad was an idiot. He was irritatingly similar to Audrey, entirely too full of himself to properly function, but his underlying issue seemed to be not unlike a lot of their fellow students: he'd never had any trials or tribulations in his life, and they've only been told stories of the villains and their children, so much so that they became more evil figures and boogeymen than actual people, and the fact that they were now in Auradon gave them all a sense of anxiety.

Jane was the most insecure person Mal had ever met, and unlike everyone else, Jane couldn't hide it to save her life. She felt incredibly vulnerable under her mother's warm gaze, feeling a pressing weight on her shoulders because of her, and she was desperate to be anyone but herself.

But when her critical eyes landed on Ben…she couldn't find _anything_. All she could see was someone who was too kind, too giving, too passionate about his country and his people, the same line of thinking that lead him to care about the forgotten children such as herself.

The worst part was that she couldn't even bring herself to hate him for it.

* * *

After being left to their own devices, Evie was finally read into the plan of trying to steal Fairy Godmother's magic wand, which would allow them to break the barrier and unleash chaos.

That first night they found out it wouldn't be as easy as they hoped. With Jay's _wonderful_ and _calculated_ attempt at just swiping the wand from its' display, they realized they needed Fairy Godmother to take it out willingly, and Mal was spending most of her time coming up with a way to do so through Jane.

Evie truly hoped it would be soon.

She was distracted during class — Chemistry, one of the classes she had alone —taking to doodling in her notebook than pay attention. Regardless, she sat next to Doug, who still seemed to be entranced by her.

She hadn't noticed she was writing her name as "Evie H." in her notebook until Doug tapped his pencil on one of them.

"H? Isn't your last name Gr-"

"Evie." Their teacher looked over at her, "Perhaps this is just review for you, so tell me, what is the average atomic weight of silver?"

She grinned through gritted teeth. She could see Doug sending her an apologetic look from the corner of her eye.

"The average atomic weight…of silver…" As she spoke, one of her hands fished around her purse, looking for the smooth surface of the mirror. Once found, her fingers curled around it, encasing and hiding it in the palm of her hand.

When the teacher gave her an unimpressed look and motioned for her to come up to the board, she gave a grand smile.

Oh, he would learn to never underestimate a villain.

* * *

The four agreed to meet up after tourney practice, and Evie was the first to arrive.

Which she didn't mind. Her little distraction during Chemistry had given her an idea, and she was eager to get started on it.

She sat at the picnic table, took out one of her notebooks, and opened to an empty page. She then went for her pencil case, fishing through numerous blue pens to find the sole red one she owned.

She paused before the pen hit the paper.

What could she even say? How would she even-

She pressed her lips together, willing the tears that were beginning to form to go away. She would worry about that later, but for now, she needed an outlet.

' _I don't know when this will get to you and I don't know how…'_

Once she opened the well, the words poured from her with ease.

She didn't realize how much she'd been writing until a backpack was thrown against the table top and she jumped up, noticing that she'd written over a page. When she turned to the new arrival, thoroughly expecting either Mal or Jay by the way the backpack was thrown, she was shocked to see the grinning face of one Chad Charming.

"Is everyone on the Isle as pretty as you?"

Guessing he had no intentions of leaving her alone, she placed her pen down and gave him her best terrifying smile. While it was considered sub-par on the Isle, it would be more than enough for Auradon.

"That depends," The way she bared her teeth made definitely made him flinch, "how turned on are you by danger and malnourishment?"

Chad furrowed his brow, mouthing the word "malnourishment" as if willing it to make sense to him by just repeating it.

Evie's brows raised. "It means lack of food, Charming."

"Oh." He smiled airily, as if he didn't just need her to explain it. "Well, sure."

If it wasn't so undignified, Evie would've slapped her forehead.

"Anyway, you _really_ nailed that Chemistry problem today. You're gonna have all the nerds in love with you."

Chad's dazzling smile came easy to him, so much so that Evie wondered just how many girls he'd used it on.

"Your point?"

Undeterred, he sat down beside her, arm propped against the table. "Someone like you deserves a prince. Your mother is a queen, after all."

"I already have one." Chad paused, the charm he thought he possessed slowly slipping in his confusion.

"Um, uh…what?"

His lack of intelligence would've been endearing on anyone but him.

"Boyfriend, Chad. I already have a boyfriend. On the Isle." She spoke slow and clear, as if speaking to a child, not really thinking about what she was saying.

What was the harm in it, anyway?

"Boyfriend, huh?" Chad popped up the collar of his letterman jacket, looking away from and trying to pretend that didn't put a stop in whatever he'd been trying to pull. "Well!" And with that he gave a huff, grabbed his backpack, and left in a hurry.

Evie rolled her eyes and turned back to the paper in front of her. She was just about to pick the pen up when she heard rustling from behind a nearby tree, and Doug appeared from behind it.

"I couldn't help but overhear-"

"Are you stalking me?"

Doug paused. "Technically…yes." He walked over to the table and sat down beside her. "I too have a…significant other on the Isle."

Evie raised a brow. "You do?"

"No. That was a lie."

Evie couldn't help but let out a laugh. This was far from how she'd been expecting her afternoon to go.

"You told a lie? I'm impressed." Doug still looked at her with wide puppy-dog eyes and it unnerved her.

"Was yours a lie? I can't blame you, trying to get Charming off your back. He-"

"No, it wasn't a lie." She gestured to the letter she was writing. "I do have a boyfriend on the Isle. We've been dating for nearly four years, so I don't plan on that ending anytime soon."

"Oh!" Doug turned a bright shade of red, and Evie felt of twinge of something — guilt, perhaps? — at his embarrassment.

"We can be friends." She didn't know if that was better or worse, but Doug's face lit up with a genuine smile.

"I'd like that."

* * *

When the others finally arrived, Carlos was the last with, surprisingly, a dog snuggled happily into his arms.

"Is it stuffed?" Jay leaned closer, jumping slightly when the dog turned to him, tail thumping against Carlos's arm.

"Guys, this is Dude." Three pairs of brows raised when Dude licked Carlos's cheek and the boy smiled.

"Not that I'm not glad you got over your fear of dogs or anything…but…just how did that _happen_?" Mal asked, for once distracted from the plan.

"Ben!" No one noticed Mal slightly recoil. "When he was helping me practice for tourney, Dude chased me, and Ben showed me just how cute and cuddly he was. Not scary, like Mom said."

"Don't tell your Mom. She might want to skin him for his fur. He might make a nice hat-"

" _Jay_!"

What was supposed to be their plotting session turned into a mess of laughter as Jay and Carlos began doing impressions of Cruella, her high-pitched voice and mimicking the squeaking sounds that would come from her stuffed dog Baby that she insisted was once real.

Evie sat on top of the picnic table, letter tucked away in her bag, laughing alongside them, ignoring just how comfortable the scene made her feel.

Even Mal was relaxed, recalling the subtle pranks they'd play on the woman — just enough to confuse her, but not enough to make her angry, as she would just take that out on Carlos — and how they'd laugh from the shadows.

They talked of the time they added an extra spot to one of Baby's paws — not even touching on just how difficult it was to get a hold of the thing without Cruella knowing — and how she still hadn't noticed yet.

They were able to talk of Cruella's anger, Jafar's penny-pinching ways, the Queen's cruel vanity, and Maleficent's…everything, knowing that they wouldn't have to face their parents that night, knowing that they had a comfortable bed to sleep in and food to wake up to.

They'd never outright say it, but even after such a short time in Auradon, they felt _safe_.

Mal would never admit that she didn't exactly hate not thinking about the Isle or the plan for a little while. She wanted to impress her mother, to prove her competence, but even she was beginning to be blown away by it all.

Sure, everyone was way too prissy, Goodness class was exhausting, and Ben was too… _nice_ and she didn't know how to handle it, but it was more enjoyable than she was expecting it to be.

And while she had a thing for misery, it was a breath of fresh air to see her friends like this.


	4. the things they're afraid of

**summary:** She ended every letter with a heart; she was still debating if distance really made the heart grow fonder.

 **pairings:** Harry Hook x Evie, Ben x Mal; deciding between: Carlos x Jane, Carlos x Jay, Carlos x Chad

 **notes:** I just can't win guys haha. While I finally have Wifi, my laptop decided to die and I absolutely hate the new laptop I bought, so I ordered a better one which won't arrive until late November. So please bear with me! Hopefully this fluffy chapter makes up for the wait!

* * *

Harry swore, eyes narrowed in frustration.

"This is impossible."

He shifted his position, lifting his hands closer to the dim light to try and get a better view. He continued to squint, and it took only a few minutes for him to get fully frustrated and throw the item in his hands to the floor.

"Ugh, _Harry_!" A voice from around the corner groaned.

Harry just huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and pointedly looking away from the mess he'd made.

The second occupant of the room stomped over to him, but really, the small girl barely made any noise and she was far from intimidating anyway.

"I went away for, like, five minutes. _Try_ _again_!"

"Ye don't tell me what tah do, Dizzy."

Dizzy took a deep, calming breath. There weren't many times she actually wanted to inflict harm upon anyone, but it usually came out with either her family or Harry.

" _This_ ," She bent down to pick up the delicate pieces he'd thrown on the floor — seashells, pretty-colored rocks, beads — and cradled them in her hands as if she held a newborn, "is for the most wonderful, beautiful girl in the world, Harry. You need to treat this _like_ you care."

Harry glared. If it was anyone but Dizzy, he wouldn't hesitate to hook them. But she was right.

"Ah _do_ care! It's just not in mah skill set."

Dizzy tsked, bringing the pieces back over to him. "Anyone can make a bracelet. Here." She picked up another piece of string, dipping the frayed ends in questionable-looking water before pinching it. "Try this piece."

Carefully, Harry began the task again. He began with a few beads — which was the easy part — before moving on to the more brittle pieces that required more patience. This time, however, Dizzy was at his side, helping to steady one of his hands and knowing when to re-dip the thread to make it easier for him.

He was in disbelief when, nearly an hour later, he had a decent-looking bracelet in his hands.

Dizzy patted him on the shoulder, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "Phew!" She readjusted her glasses, smiling at their creation. "She's gonna _love_ it."

One of his thumbs ran across the surface of a shell. Their worlds colliding — fashion and the sea, and it looked _so_ good.

"Yeah," He whispered, "ah hope so."

* * *

Evie placed her backpack on a picnic table for the second time that week with a sigh. While it had been entirely refreshing to have more people in their room, Jane and Lonnie were becoming regulars, and it had been too hard to concentrate with them.

If she had been doing homework it would've been fine. Homework didn't require as much soul as this _damn_ letter, which was taking a lot more time than she'd initially thought.

She was nearing the end, she just didn't know how best to end it. She needed to have it be _perfect_ , and she couldn't imagine sending it while it was anything less.

She stopped herself before she began chewing on her pen cap in frustration.

"Evie!" She rolled her eyes at the intrusion, but pursed her lips when she saw who it was.

"Ben," She greeted, "what a surprise."

He stood beside the table, hands clasped together with the brightest of smiles on his face.

"I, ah, I haven't seen any of you guys today, and didn't know if you needed help with anything," he motioned to her paper, "or any schoolwork."

It almost hurt to see how genuine he was. Evie had seen far more fake smiles than genuine ones, and she'd always been a quick study in telling them apart. Ben was a rare breed, even in Auradon, and Evie didn't feel so bad when she returned the smile.

Ben seemed to be the only one who truly wanted them in the first place, anyway.

She gestured for him to sit and he did so eagerly, his smile never wavering.

"I do have an...odd question for you, Ben."

His expression remained; he only nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"How _did_ you get Carlos to like a dog?"

It took him a second, but Ben laughed. "I just showed him how loving they can be. That once you get to know them, or even just spending a few minutes with one, they're not as bad as he thought. And that there was never a reason to be scared in the first place."

Evie tapped her nails on the table, suddenly feeling very small. She was a quick study in many things. "Well, it's easy to do that when you've already had practice introducing people to the things they're afraid of."

Ben placed a hand on her shoulder in a gentle but firm grip. "They'll all see what I see in you guys."

"What do you see, exactly?"

Ben smiled. "People. Good people who come from bad situations, and new voices to listen to."

Evie bit down on the inside of her cheek, feeling tears begin to bud in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't form the words that could express how she felt.

There were very few people who saw her as more than her mother's daughter, and for those few she was incredibly grateful. She never imagined Ben to make the list.

"Is there anything else I can do?" His voice was soft, comforting.

In that moment, she didn't care if she was too trusting. _Chad_ knew, Doug knew, Jane and Lonnie knew, and she'd be surprised if it wasn't already circling around campus.

Ben truly seemed to want to help. He was taking a chance on them, giving them a part of himself, and letting him in didn't seem so scary anymore.

"There is." She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, directing her attention back to her letter. "I have a boyfriend back on the Isle. Captain Hook's son, Harry. I...Is there any way I can send letters to him? There's no other way to talk, and I-"

Ben squeezed her shoulder again. "Of course you can. I will see to it myself."

Evie couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. "Thank you, Ben."

He gave her his own smile before standing up. "Just let me know when you'd like to send it." He went to turn but stopped himself. However, when he turned back to Evie, he didn't seem as sure of himself as when he first approached her. His hands were clasped together again, but his fingers tapped against the other palm.

"Should I ask the others if there's letters they'd like to send as well?"

Evie's brows shot up. Suddenly some of Mal's mannerisms were making much more sense.

"No. Everyone they care for is already here."

Ben's nerves faded into concern, brows furrowing at her comment. Evie realized her mistake and, not wanting to comment on it further, hoped to redirect him. "They should all be back in my room by now, so you could stop by and see if there's anything that they need."

Ben nodded, unable to stop the smile on his face. "Thank you, Evie."

* * *

"Harry!"

Harry groaned, rolling over so his back was to the door, hoping whoever was knocking would take it as a sign to go away.

Another thump. " _Harry!_ "

He stuck his arm out of the cocoon of blankets he'd made for himself, hoping to have something, anything within his grasp. Eventually, he felt his fingers brush a bit of leather, and he flung his boot in the general direction of the door.

It didn't hit, but still made a satisfying sound that he hoped would drive the idiot away.

No such luck. Only this time, the knocks were much louder, and a very different voice called for him.

"Harry! Get out here!"

He turned over, narrowing his eyes at the door. He ripped the sheets off and stomped, as slowly as he could, to the door.

"What, Captain?" As soon as he'd opened the door, Uma and Gil pushed him back inside.

"Oh don't be such an ass. It's something you'll like." Uma rolled her eyes at his grumpiness, far too used to it by now. She turned to Gil, whose attention was captured by a mysterious stain he noticed on the ceiling. "Gil?"

"Oh, right!" Gil dug in one of his pockets, then in another before he found what he was looking for. It was slightly crumpled, but it was a light blue envelope, closed by the royal seal.

"What's that?" Harry squinted, mind still fuzzy from being _rudely_ awoken.

"I assume it's from your princess." Uma couldn't help but laugh at how Harry physically reacted. He suddenly straightened up, eyes wide as he snatched the envelope from Gil's hands. "You're _welcome_ , Hook."

But truly, she didn't mind how he was suddenly too focused on the envelope he now held, completely forgetting about she and Gil.

While she liked the tough and crazy side of her first mate, he was also her best friend, and it always made her happy to see him happy.

And if, somehow, that prissy blue princess made him happy, who was she to complain?

She threaded her arm through Gil's, dragging the still-distracted pirate from Harry's room, closing his door behind them.

Harry stumbled back to his hammock, completely engrossed in tearing the envelope open. Other than the seal, there was nothing indicating it was even to him, or even _from_ Evie.

But as soon as he unfolded the letter, letting a second, smaller letter fall in his lap, all doubt melted away. He immediately recognized her handwriting.

' _Harry,_

 _I don't know when this will get to you and I don't know how, but I'll be_ ** _damned_ **_if it doesn't._

 _It really is another world over here. Who knew food could be so tasty?_ ** _And_ **_they've never even heard of smog!_

 _We're not close to the ocean, but I'm hoping to find some sort of pond or lake that can do. After all, I need to leave something with a hook symbol, don't I? Something to be found years from now and terrify them._

 _We're surrounded by trees and gardens, which are truly breathtaking. It's weird not seeing anything dead around here._

 _They make us do actual school work here. It's not just showing up and trying not to kill each other. Some of it is actually interesting, but for the most part we're all kind of behind. Oh — what's_ ** _really_ **_interesting are the people here._

 _Aurora's daughter, Audrey, is the definition of a stuck-up princess. Of course she's dating Ben, and won't let anyone forget about it. It's kind of sad, really. If I ever give you ridiculous nicknames, like "Harry-boo" or "Harry-kins", please hook me on the spot._

 _Chad Charming is, by far, the dumbest person I've ever met. I think he tried hitting on me to get me to do his homework? He was all, 'Is everyone on the Isle as pretty as you?'. Pshh. If he was going to compliment_ ** _me_ **_, he could've at least made it a_ ** _fact_ **_that I'm the prettiest on the Isle — take notes, Hook. Well, not that you need them. You've probably already said that to me, but I was probably distracted by your ridiculously gorgeous eyes. (Seriously. I'm trying to find something with that color but_ ** _it's impossible and it's all your fault_ **_.)_

 _Doug, the son of one of the dwarves, was also utterly_ ** _charmed_ **_by me, but he's harmless and is interested in stories about the isle,_ ** _especially_ **_the pirates. You've already got yourself a fan over here._

 _Ben is not what I was expecting from the Prince of Auradon. He's actually_ ** _kind_ **_. Like, the real kind, not the "Isle kind" where you expect things in return, or need to have an alliance with someone so they don't set your house on fire. He's the reason I'm able to send this to you._

 _All that aside...I miss you. Terribly. I won't lie, Auradon is starting to grow on me, but I'd leave in a heartbeat if it meant seeing you again. I...I don't know what vacations and visitations will be allowed, but_ ** _whatever_ **_chance I get, I_ ** _will_ **_see you._

 _I love you, Harry Hook._

 _Sending you all my love,_

 _Evie_

 _P.S.: There's a smaller letter in here for Dizzy. Please give it to her next time you see her.'_

He couldn't tell how long he'd been staring at that piece of paper, and he didn't really care.

Seeing her words meant more than he would _ever_ say aloud — to anyone _but_ her.

He tried not to think about how she didn't mention when she would return, or how. He didn't know what the VKs planned to accomplish in Auradon, and quite frankly, he didn't care as long as Evie returned.

In Isle standards, they'd been together a long time, and going from seeing her nearly every day to long-distance was something he wasn't prepared for. But with these letters, this tangible piece of her, he could stand it a bit longer.

He took a look at the bracelet that sat on the side table, carefully dangling off his hook so he wouldn't lose it.

Soon, he would go find his friends and figure out how the letter was delivered to see if he could send something back. Soon, but not now.

He would re-read that letter until he could picture Auradon, picture the trees she talked about that he only truly saw in paintings, picture a boy named Chad and his irritation and how ironic it was that he wasn't so charming, picture Evie sitting by a lake, thinking of him while he thought of her.

He would re-read that letter until the next one arrived.


End file.
